Time and Location:

7pm ET Virtual Meeting https://meet.google.com/cih-ehxi-wbc

Call to Order:

Meeting called to order by Jonathan White at 7:36PM.

Consent Agenda

Any Board Member may make a motion in the Consent Agenda.  The purpose of the Consent Agenda is to propose motions that have been discussed by Board Members in advance and/or are expected to pass without objection.  If the item does not fit this description, it should be proposed in New Business. Discussion of Consent Agenda items should be done via Slack prior to the meeting.  Any Board Member present at the meeting may request that an item be moved from the Consent Agenda to New Business.  The motions in the Consent Agenda (after any items are moved to New Business) may be passed as a group if there are no objections.  Any motion that requests spending $250 or more must include a section on "Relevance to our tax exempt purpose".

No Consent Agenda Items

Approval of Prior Minutes

2024-11-20 Meeting of the Board of Directors

Vote:

Officer Reports

Chairperson:

Thanks to everyone for your support over the last year.

Secretary:

Made a new human last week. I appreciate the offers for help with the minutes. I plan to be back in action for January 2025. 

Treasurer:

President:

No Report

Committee Reports:

Membership Committee (Ken Fuentecilla)
10 new members this month, 10 members left, 5 pending renewal

Marketing Committee (Sally Soles)
Working to secure space at the Leesburg Flower and Garden Show

Website Committee (Vacant)

No report

Leesburg Facility Committee (John Carter)
Nearly everything has been moved from the old Electronics Lab to the new space in the basement.
New light fixture in the back, new front fixtures being installed in the next week or so
Materials received for the upstairs bathroom.

Purcellville Facility Committee (Dave Painter)

Motor replaced on the compressor
Trash pickup is 1st and 3rd Tuesdays

Scheduling Committee (Jennifer Chu)

Jen will be coordinating some member feedback sessions to help develop a strategic plan for the future

Newsletter Committee (Jenna Conn)
No report

IT Committee (Scott Silvers)
Working on NAS - drive failed, not recognizing new drive
2 additional Adobe Creative Cloud licenses purchased

STEM Committee (Diane Painter)

Standing Rules Committee (Jennifer Chu)

Finance Committee (Mary Waldron)

Unfinished Business

No old business

New Business

NB1: Adopt 2025 Budget (Bo Wernick)

Issue: Budget for 2025
Solution: 2025 Budget has been prepared with input from all Shop Stewards and the Treasurer.  The attached documents discuss the important points and contain the detailed breakdown.  The raw Consumables and Repair & Maintenance data is available on Google Drive in the 2025 Budget folder.
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Move to Accept the 2025 Budget Proposed.  This also contains the roll-up of the Steward submitted Shop Budgets.  Stewards will adhere to their submitted Consumables and Repair & Maintenance projections.  A dues increase to $65 Individual and $130 Household is included, notice of which must be given to the membership by the end of December.  Note that any submitted Shop Improvements must come before the Board as New Projects in 2025 for approval.

Vote: Motion Seconded by Jim Waldron
Jim Waldron:  Aye
Jen Chu: Aye
Brad Hess: Aye
Evin Grano: Aye
Scott Silvers: Nay
Jonathan White: Aye

2025 Budget Proposed

2025 Budget Notes

2025 Shop Budgets

Rules committee met and would like to submit these updates.

NB2: Changes to Bylaws(Jim W)

Issue: Bylaws 3.1.1  Fix wording
Solution: The Corporation has been formed under Virginia Nonstock Corporation Law for the charitable purposes described in Article II of the Articles of Incorporation, and it shall be nonprofit and nonpartisan. No part of the activities of the Corporation shall consist of carrying on propaganda, and the Corporation shall not participate in or intervene in any political campaign (including the publishing or distribution of statements) on behalf of, or in opposition to, any candidate for public office.
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Adopt new language.

Vote: Motion withdrawn by Jim

NB3: Changes to Bylaws(Jim W)

Issue: Bylaws 4.1.9  Start of Director term of office
Solution: The Directors’ term of office shall begin at the start of the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors following the Annual Meeting of the Membership in which they are elected.
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Adopt new language.

Vote: Motion withdrawn by Jim

NB4: Changes to Bylaws(Jim W)

Issue: Bylaws Section  6.9.1 through 6.9.11  Replace
Solution: Remove 6.9.1 through 6.9.11
 Replace with:
 6.9.1 Members may not vote by proxy.
 (Reference:
 § 13.1-847. Proxies Virginia Law (.gov) https://law.lis.virginia.gov › chapter10 › section13
13.1-847. Proxies. A. A member entitled to vote may vote in person or, unless the articles of incorporation or bylaws otherwise provide, by proxy.)
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Adopt new language.
Second: Jonathan White
Vote:  Motion carries by voice vote.

NB5: Changes to Standing Rules(Jim W)

Issue: Standing Rules 12.1
Solution: We no longer have this available.
12.4 There will be member storage lockers/cabinets available at Leesburg and Purcellville  These lockers/cabinets can be rented for the fee designated in Section 10.  Non-Members and  Honorary Members cannot rent a locker/cabinet.
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Move to delete section 12.1 from the Standing Rules
Second: Jonathan White
Vote:   Motion withdrawn by Jim

NB6: Changes to Standing Rules(Jim W)

Issue: Standing Rules 12.4
Solution: We no longer have this available.
12.1 Individual and Household Memberships are allowed one 17-gallon storage bin which will be placed in the member storage area in Leesburg, subject availability on a first come, first served basis. 
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Move to delete section 12.4 from the Standing Rules

Vote:   Motion withdrawn by Jim

NB7: Funding for Member Storage in Leesburg Classroom (Bo Wernick)

Motion: Move to waive 7 day notice.
Motion carries by voice vote.

Issue: Members have consistently been asking Leesburg Stewards for individual storage space at Leesburg.  Whether it be for their consumables, jigs, hand tools, or class supplies; a number of our regular membership would be well served by having an on-site storage bin.
Solution: Purchase 24 HDX seventeen gallon totes and any hardware needed to anchor storage racks to walls.
Priority for bin usage will go to Instructors and Stewards, then on a first-come, first-serve basis to Members.  The Member will be responsible for labeling their bin with their name and the date they last accessed it.
The Classroom Steward will be responsible for regulating the Member Storage area and tracking any bins that are not seeing regular access.  If the bin is not accessed for two months, it will be emptied and relinquished to another Member.
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None

Motion: Move to allocate up to $300 to purchase 24 HDX seventeen gallon totes and any hardware needed to anchor storage racks to walls; with any remaining funds being returned within 2 months.

Vote: Motion passes by voice vote

Motion: Move to waive 7 days to consider the motion

Motion: Member Storage Bin Policy addition above to Standing Rules.

Vote: 

NB8: Directed Donation for High School Solar Team (Jim W on behalf of the Justin and Maria McMillen)

Motion: Move to waive 7 days to consider the motion
Vote: Motion carries by voice vote.

Issue: High School Solar Team would like to solicit Directed Donations Makersmiths has a number of members who coach high school teams for the KidWind
STEM competition. As a result of Makersmiths spaces, tools, and volunteerism, the
KidWind High School Team secured the global championship in May 2024 and placed
at the national level in 2023. 
These teams are partially funded by the class fees for the Makersmiths class, the
remainder of the costs have been supplemented by the coaches directly. In the course
of the KidWind competitions, the students have made connections with many
companies that work in the solar field, and have identified an opportunity for these
companies to donate to the high school teams. These donations which would then be
used to fund the shortfall in class fees for project costs. Most organizations would be
looking for a 501c3 status for tax purposes.
The plan is that the High School Solar Team would reach out to organizations for
donations. These organizations would be instructed to either send checks to
Makersmiths (address provided) with a note “High School Solar Team or go to the
Makersmiths webpage, click on the Donate button, and fill out the form with “High
School Solar Team” entered into the comment section and pay by credit card. The
Treasurer will track these donations and reimburse the High School Solar Team for
purchases of parts and supplies and possibly travel costs if the team goes to the World
Championship from these donations.
Solution: Allow Directed Donations for High School Solar Team
Methodology:  Patrons will go to the Makersmiths Donation Web page and enter their
donation amount along with a notation in the Comment field of "High School Solar
Team"
Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Motion: Move to designate High School Solar Team as eligible for Directed Donations.
Any funds remaining at the end of the competition would be used for the next year’s
Makersmiths High School Solar Team costs.

Vote:  Motion withdrawn by Jim.  

Motion: Move to waive 7 days to consider the motion to 

Vote: Motion carries by voice vote.

Move to appoint Scott Silvers as Secretary of Makersmiths

Relevance to Tax Exempt Status: None
Vote: Motion carries by voice vote.

Open Discussion

Adjournment

Meeting adjourned by Jonathan White at 10:11PM